Welcome to the Abbey Photo Party!
I select a theme and invite you to respond with images.
I have been pondering a great deal lately the ways the landscapes I have lived in shape my soul (this week’s love note from me will develop this theme). My invitation to you is to ponder this for yourself: What is the impact of my physical landscape on my spiritual one? How might I express this through a photo or image?
You can share images you already have which illuminate the theme, but I encourage you also to go for a walk with the theme in mind and see what you discover.
You are also welcome to post photos of any other art you create inspired by the theme. See what stirs your imagination!
How to participate:
1. Go to the Flickr Group I have created. You need a free Flickr account first (go to the Flickr home page and click “Sign up now.”) When you go to the link it will ask you to join the group first before posting. Share up to five of your images in response to the theme.
2. Leave a comment below this blog post to let us know you have joined the party and what your Flickr profile name is (you must include this to be entered into the prize drawing).
3. Please post the invitation on your blog or Facebook page and encourage others to come join the party!
On Friday, April 26th – I will draw a name at random from those who participate and the winner will receive a space in my upcoming online class Eyes of the Heart: Photography as a Contemplative Practice (April 28-June 15, 2013).
66 Responses
My Flickr name is kernsbeach. These are photos of my two favorite things together- old trees, tree roots and the beach. Trees are hugely symbolic for me, especially the roots, reminding me to stay grounded and that the kingdom of heaven comes out of the earth in this life.
I just returned from Kentucky and the landscape of Thomas Merton so landscape mysticism is on my mind and in my heart. I have posted landscape images from places that are mystical to me – Kentucky, Oregon, Tuscany, and Western Ireland. But, I know that we can find the spiritual landscape wherever we are.
And my flickr name is kimmanleyort.
wooly124 is my flickr name. I was feeling an urge to go out on my favorite shoreline walk when I popped by here first. Thanks for the invitation to consider my spiritual landscape as I walk!
My flickr name is thecreativecontemplative. I took my photo while on a contemplative photography retreat outside the Abbey of Gethsemane in Kentucky.
I finally figured out (I think) how to post my photos. My flickr name is PrairieKaren. One photo is recent — a wet path to the stream, the other has been on my mind , though it is not recent, it’s a sustaining image for me– hibiscus petals surrendering to the rain. I’ve signed up for the class and am really looking forward to it.
My Flikr name is marybenton.findhope.
The photos didn’t post in the order I intended but there were two that were meant to be adjacent. They were both taken standing on a bridge about a half block from my house: facing west is the beautiful sunset, facing east is the industrial landscape. Such an interesting contrast as they were taken just seconds apart from the same place, just facing in different directions…something to ponder.
My Flikr name is AnneHartman.
I am from Iowa, and living in Haifa, Israel for 6 months with my husband and 15-year-old daughter. I want to take the Eyes of the Heart class to help me live this experience to the fullest. This landscape is so new, foreign, fascinating, yet it can be frustrating to live here also. I would like to be able to express all of that using photography as a method.
Flickr name is bo mackison. I am in the desert.
My Flikr name is TextileSpirit.
I have enjoyed photography as part of my textile work for a number of years. More recently I have explored what spirituality means for me. I had always thought that to make art you had to be good at drawing, but I am understanding that for me the process is integral to my life. Through a long period of illness I discovered that creating through many forms allowed an internal discussion that became healing. At this point I am ready to let go and allow some freedom to saturate my life.
My image is of reflection – I was walking the dog when I came across a large puddle holding an image that was expansive. It seemed like the world was held there. I have rotated the image through 180 degrees, I found it added to the surrealism that drew me in.
My Flickr name is Reverend1947. I have posted landscapes/people/places which have shaped my spiritual being. I have recently moved and have not had a chance to capture the landscape of the place I now call home. So, I chose photographs from the landscapes of my vocational life (chaplain), my grandmother life (granddaugher’s baptism), my missional life (Guatemala), and my life of rest and renewal (boats at sunset in Door County, reflection of trees in Colorado mountains).
Thanks for the opportunity to share and take time to reflect on all those places in my life which have called me by name.